After a fantastic first season back in the top flight which culminated in an FA Cup final appearance for Hull City, they had high hopes for this season. However they seem to have gone down the route of the 'second season syndrome' in which promoted sides often fail to replicate the success of a surprise first season.

Bradford City, Ipswich Town, and Reading have all fallen to this before, and Steve Bruce is looking to sign two strikers to arrest the downfall. The two strikers at the top of his wish list are Arsenal's Yaya Sanogo and Toronto FC's Jermaine Defoe. Both strikers look set to make a move this month but The Tigers will be facing strong competition for both.

Sanogo is set to leave The Gunners on loan, and a move back to France has been mooted. He is yet to find his feet in the Premier League and would represent a gamble for Bruce. Defoe however is a proven goal scorer and would be a superb signing. Plenty of other Premier League teams are looking at Defoe too who is currently training with his former club Tottenham Hotspur.

Last season Hull brought in Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long in the January transfer window from Everton and West Bromwich Albion respectively. They had an immediate impact for The Tigers, and both were brought in for relatively modest fees. The strikers scored four goals apiece last season before Long was sold on for a great profit.

Jelavic has six in 16 Premier League games these season, and new addition Abel Hernandez has proved to be a bit hit and miss. Sanogo would add depth but it is Defoe who would be the key signing here. He would be able to settle down straight away and if he's given a good chance, he'll more than likely find the back of the net with it.

Josh McLoughlin

Josh is a 21-year-old aspiring Football journalist based in Preston/Manchester and a huge Preston North End fan. His own blog aloadofballs1.wordpress.com takes a look at many Football issues from across the world and has attracted views from all over the world, from Nepal to Peru.